Door operator



May 10, 1932- s. E. BUETTELL 1,857,938

DOOR OPERATOR May 1o, 1932.

S. E. BUETTELL.

DOOR OPERATOR Filed March 2l, 1929 3 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Z/LA HIHI

lllillmwll" May 10, 1932 s. E. BUETTELL 1,857,938y

I Doon OPERATOR Filed March 21. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May l0, 1932 NTD kSTATES PATENT OFFICE SMEL E. BUETTELIJ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 PARKING SYSTEMS, ING., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Doon .OPERATOR Application-med March 21,1929. Serial No. 348,899.

The present invention relates in general to door operators and more particularly to such operators as are adapted to open elevator doors of the by-pass type.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel pneumatic elevator' door operator. Y

Another object is to provide a door operator individual to the door that may be i automatically controlled to open it at the proper time.

Another object is to provide a single valve for controlling the fluid that is to operate the door.

Another object is to provide pneumatic means for operating the doors in a building .having a large number of floors anda plurality of elevators in which the leakage of the operating fluid is reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide improved mechanism for pneumatically opening and closing an elevator door by the use of very little energy.

A further Yobject is to provide a cheap, eicient and highly effective operator for elevator doors. Y

There are other objects of my invention, which together with the foregoing will be described in the detailed specification which is to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In practicing my invention, I provide an elevator door of the usual by-pass type in which the upper half of the door weighs slightly more than the lower half of the door. These doors are of usual construction. and operate in guides in any ordinary manner. i provide a small air cylinder land piston on each side of each door. Thepistons are connected to the lower half of the door and the upper half of the door is attached to the lower half by means of a chain and pulley. An air supply line and a suitable valve is provided for admitting` air to the cylinder. This valve is adapted to be operated byv a cam' that may be projected from. the elevator. There is one main supply .pipe or riser for supplying air or other fluid to the doors on one side of the elevator hatch. I provide a main valve on the ground floor which serves to shut off the air in the main supply line when theelevator is at rest.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of two elevator doors of the by pass type, one being open and the other being closed from the inside of the hatch;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly in section of one of the elevator doors and its operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of one of the air cylinders `and the individual control valve and is taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arupper half of an ordinary metal clad by pass k,type door while the reference character 2 designates itsflower half. These doors'may be of any .usual or well known construction. Each half ofthe door l and 2 travels'in suitable guides formed from the angles 3, 4 and 5, each side of each door being provided with a guiding extension 6. The upper half l of each door is counter-balanced so that it Weighs a few pounds more than the lower half 2 of each door. This is to provide for the doors being maintained closed by` gravity. A bracket 8 is provided on the lower side of each of the upper portions l ofthe door toV which ay chain 9-is attached. The chain 9 passes over an idler pulley l0 rotatably mounted in a bracket 11 attached` to one of the angles 3. The chain connectswith an adjustingrod l2 connected to a metal operating member 13V attached to the upper end of the lower portionL 2 of each door. l This connection is made by suitable adjusting nuts 14. Anair cylinder 15 of suitable length is attached by means of brackets 16 to the angles on either side of each door. A piston of any suitable construction is adapted to travel within the cylinder 15. A rod 17 connects the piston to the operating member 13 of the lower portion of the door. The aircylinder 15 and piston is of any suitable or well known construction and isof sufficient length to provide for the full operating travel of the lower portion 2 of the door. The diameter of the air cylinder 15 is such as to furnish suiiicient power under suitable air pressure to operate the door. A supply pipe 18 connects one end of the air cylinder to an operating valve 19. The other end of the air cylinder is connected with the valve 19 by a suitable connection 20.

It will be seen that since the two portions ofeach door operate in guides and are connected together by the chains 9 that the movement of the lower half of the door will bring about the simultaneous movement of the upper portion ofthe door in opposite direction. There is a supply line 21 connecting the pipe 18 with the air cylinder 15 on the other side of the door and there is a pipe 22 connecting the lower end of the cylinder 15 on the other end of the door to the pipe 20. The oper.- ation of the one valve 19 thus serves to control the functioning of the piston in each of the cylinders Von either side of a single door. The pipes 21 and 22 are suitably run behind the upper portion 1 of the door so that when the door is opened, they will not obstruct the passage created.

Thevalve 19 is mounted upon a. bracket 23 attached to the angle 4 in any suitable manner. This valve (Fig. 5) comprises a cylindrically shaped member v24 provided with bosses 25 and 26, providing openings that eX- tend into the chamber. The supply connection 18 is threaded into the opening provided in the bossj25 while the supply 20 is threaded into the opening provided by the boss 26. That is, the admission of the operatin T fluid into the connection 18 serves .to force the pis ton within the air cylinder 15 in a downward direction, thereby opening t Ae door while the admission of air through the connection 20 to the lower end of the cylinder 15y serves to force an air piston in the opposite direction, thereby closing the door. An entrance port 26 is connected with the main supply line 27 by a pipe 28. A valve head 29 is threaded into one end of the cylindrical member 24 and contains a bleeder valve 30. A stub shaft 31 is threaded into the valve head 29 and provides a stabilized mounting for a helical spring 32 which encircles it. The spring 32 fits within anopening in the operating member 33. The operating member 33 is provided with two enlarged ends 34 and 35 which are suitably grooved to hold a plurality of wash* ers fitting'snugly Vagainst theinner'surface of the cylindrical member 24. The other end of the chamber 24 is closed by a head member 36 suitably threaded therein containing a bleeder valve opening 37 and an opening for the operating member 38 that is provided with a head 39 that is adapted to abut the end of the piston 33.

ln the normal position of the valve 19 as shown in Fig. 5, air pressure from the main supply 27 feeds through the port 26 and connection 2O to thev lowerend of the operating cylinder 15, thereby maintaining the piston in the upper portion of the cylinder with the door closed.

Of course when the elevator is at the ground floor the air supply will be cut olf as will be explained. However, the doors are maintained in their closed position by reason of the counterbalan'ced eEect as before mentioned. t will be seen that when the operating member 38 is depressed that the piston 33 is moved within the valve chamber against the tension of the spring 32 until the connection of air to the member 20 is cut off and air is permitted toflow through the connection 18. The connection ofair to the pipe 18 of doors.v On the ground iioor there is `provided a main cut off valve 40 of any usual or well known type, having an operating lever 41 of angular shape. A helical spring 42 connects the shorter leg of the angle to a stationary bracket 43 attached to the supply line 27. The other leg of the angle 40 is provided with a roller 41 in order to assist its operation against the action of the spring 42. The spring 42 serves to maintain the operating lever 41 in the dotted position shown in Fig. 7, normally maintaining air supply in the supply pipe 27.

. There is a cam member 44 suitably mounted on the elevator 45 that has an obtuse angular shape. It will be seen that as the elevator descends and becomes stationary at the ground floor that the operating lever 40 is forced into the position shown, as the rollery 41 rolls along the surface of the cam member 44. rl`his serves to shut ofi the supply of air by the movement of the valve 40 to the supply line 27.

In Fig. 3 the manner in which the valve 19 isV operated has been shown. end of the bracket 23 there is rotatably mounted an operating lever 46 which is in the normal position shown. The upper end of the operating lever 46 is provided with a roller .47. The operating lever 46 is adapted to be operated from the position shown into the position illustrated by the dotted lines. The movement of this lever 46 brings about the depression of theV plunger 38 and the opera-v tion of the valve 19.

At the lower The operating lever 46 is maintained in its normal position by the action of the spring 32 of the valve 19. In order to provide for the operation of the valve 19, a well known expedient is resorted to which comprises an operating cam member 48 mounted upon the elevator. Suitable springs are provided for maintaining the cam member 48 in its normal position as shown in Fig. 3. A solenoid operating coil 49 is suitably mounted on the elevator and is provided with a core 50 to which are attached the operating rods 51 that are connected by means of a link connection 53 to an angle 54 pivotedly mounted at 55. It will be seen that the operation of the solenoid 49 forces the cam member 48 out into position so as to engage the rollers 47 of the various valves 19 in the elevator hatch. TWhen the solenoid 49 is deenergized the cam member 48 is in its normal unextended position.

1Having described the mechanical construction oi my invention, I shall now eX- plain its operation.

When the elevator leaves the floor the valve 40 is opened by the operation of the spring 42 after the cam 44 permits the movement of the lever 41. This supplies compressed air from any source such as a suitable compressor to the supply line 27. J ust before the elevator reaches the floor at which it is desired to stop the solenoid 49 is energized to bring about the projection of the cam 48 by the operation of the levers 54. The movement of the cam 48 serves to operate the operating lever 46 and the plunger 38 of the valve 19, cutting oil the supply of air to the line 20 and connecting it to the line 18 by the operation of the piston 33. Since air is connected to the supply line 18 it is admitted in the upper ends of the cylinders 15 on each side of the door and in the pistons in the cylinder 15 are forced in a downward direction, the rods 12 servinO` to transmitthis motion to the lower half 2 of the door. By reason of the connection of the rods 12 and the chain 9 the movement oi the lower portion 2 brings about the upper movement of the upper portion 1 of the door. As the pistons within the cylinders 15 are forceddownward the air present on the other side of the piston by reason of the connection of air through the supply line 27 and line 2O is forced through the bleeder valve opening 37. This furnishes a constricted passage for the air and serves to cushion the effect of the opening of the door. The power for opening the door is applied on' both sides thereof and this movement takes place very readily and softly because of this cushioning effect. The amount of power required from the air is relatively slight because of the counterbalancing of the doors one with the other and their operation in guides. That is, the only power required is to overcome the inertia 18 and connect it to the line 20. As a result of this operation, air is supplied to the lower ends of the air cylinders 15'on either side g .of the door and the pistons therein are' caused to move in the other direction. The operation of the pistons serve to bring about the raising of the lower portion 2 of the door and the lowerino` of the u )per ortion 1 s0 i that the door is closed. The air within the upper portions of the cylinder 1G is permitted to escape through the restricted opening 30 of the bleeder valve in the valve A19 so that there is a cushion effect upon the closing of the door as before, whereby the shock of closing is prevented. The doors may be operated in identically the same manner when the elevator is proceeding in a downward direction. The return' of the elevator to 1the ground floor cuts ofi:1 the air connection to the main supply line 27 and the doors are maintained closed by gravity as before explained.

This cutting oil' of the air from the main supply line except when it is needed materially, reduces the leakage.

It willY be seen by my invention that elevators or other doors may be operated pneuinatically in a highly, efficient and expeditious manner individually. It will be seen that the amount of apparatus is small and "ico that its cost is cheap and also that the inain- Y tenance cost is low.

The present invention has been particularly designed to operate the hy-pass type of elevator door, however, it will be obvious that many other types of doors may be operated in a like manner. The particular situation Vwhich this inventionr was designed to meet is in garages where the doors are relatively large and wide, in fact under certain conditions, they may provide an opening sufficiently wide to accommodate three automobiles. In this Vtype of construction the silent, expeditious and eicient operation as well as reduced cost is highly desirable.

While I have described a certain specific embodiment of my invention, AI am aware that many niodilications, changes and deviations may be made and it will be understood that I desire to protect by Letters PatentV all such changes, modilications and deviations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a building having a plui' rizo rality of floors provided With an elevator shaft extending vertically of said building and an elevator adapted to tra-vel in the hatch, of a door in said shaft at each floor,

. pneumatic means individual to each door, a

valve for operating said means, an air supply line for supplying air to each pneumatic means, a valve in said supply line, and means for operating the last mentioned valve When the elevator is in a predetermined position in said shaft. Y

' 2. In combination, a building having a plurality of floors provided with an elevator shaft extending vertically of said building and an elevator adapted to travel in the hatch, of a. door in said shaft at each floor, pneumatic means individual to each door, a

l valve for operating said means, an air supply line for supplying air to each` pneumatic means, a valve in said supply line, and means for operating the last mentioned valve t0 cut oli the supply of air in said line when the elevator is in a predetermined position in said shaft, and means for maintaining said doors closed While said elevator is in said predetermined position.

3. In combination, a building having a plurality of oors provided With an elevator shaft extending vertically of said building and an elevator adapted to travel in the hatch, of a door in said shaft at each Hoor, pneumatic means individual to each door, a valve for operating said means, an air supply line for supplying air to all pneumatic means, a main valve for supplying air to said supply line, and automatic means on said Velevator for operating said main valve.

4. In combination, a building` having a plurality of floors provided With an elevator shaft extending vertically of said building and an elevator adapted to travel in the hatch, of a. door in said shaft at each floor, pneumatic means individual to each door, a valve for operating said means, an air supply line for supplying air to all pneumatic means, a main valve for supplying air to said supply line, and automatic means on said elevator for operating said main valve When Vsaid elevator is in a predetermined position in said shaft.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of March, 1929.

SAMUEL E. BUETTELL. 

